Switch-operating device.



No. 635,460. Patented Oct. 24, I899. J. E. BARNHABT & E. n. MIDDLETON. swncH OPERATING nEvlcE.

(Application filed July 8, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

ATTORNEYS.

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Patented Oct 24, I899. J. E. BARNHART & E. n.- MIDDLETON.

SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

(Application filed July-8, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets8heet 2.

INVENTOR 5 (751120 .ZLBaz-mluzrt'. l'dmrdllMz'ddleion ATTORNEYS.

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NITE STATE JOHN E. BARNHART AND EDWARD D. MIDDLETON, OF PITTSBURG, PENN- SYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS J. MCTIGHE, OF SAME PLACE.

SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersl atent No. 635,460, dated October 24:, 1899.

Application filed July 8, 1899. Serial No. 723,205. (No model.)

tion, reference being had therein to the ac-' companying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in switches, and more particularly to switch-turning -mechanism that will automatically operate and turn the switch-tongue in any desired position from the platform of the car.

The invention isparticularly designed to be employed in connection with street-railways, tramways, and the like, and has for its object to construct a switch-turning mechanism of the above-described character that can be easily operated from the platform of the car; furthermore, one that will be extremely simple in its construction, strong, durable, and highly efficient in its operation.

The invention further aims to construct a switch-turning mechanism that will be comparatively inexpensive to construct and containing no parts that are apt to get out of order and to arrange the mechanism in such a manner that all parts will be easily accessible in case repairs should become necessary.

With the above and other objects in View the invention finally consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein like numerals of reference indicate correspondingparts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a main track and siding providedwith our improved switchturning mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the platform and forward portion of a car provided with our improved switch-turning mechanism. Fig. 5 is a front View of the car and mechanism as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the foot-lever and connection. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the spring-pressed tripping-rod. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the switch-turning levers arranged adjacent to the rails.

Referring to the drawings by referencenumerals, 1 indicates the main track. 2 represents the siding, 3 the switch-tongue, and 4 represents a casing arranged adjacent to the rail, carrying the switch-tongue between the tracks. The upperlid or cover of said casing has formed therein openings 5, in which is slidingly arranged guides 6 and 7, the guide 7 being rigidly connected at 8 to the horizontal lever 9, having pivotally secured thereto at 10 an arm 11, which is pivoted at 12 to a bell-crank lever 13, pivoted at 14 to the hori zontal arm 15. The other end of said horizontal arm 15 is pivoted at 16 to the shank 17 of the guide 6.

The end of the horizontal lever 9 has pivotally secured thereto a lever-arm 18, said lever-arm having a bifurcated end 19 for the reception of the lever 20, which is pivotally connected thereto at 21 and carries at its other end an upwardly-extending pin 22, engaging the under face of theswitch-tongue, said pin being rigidly connected to the lever and switch-tongue 3. The said pin operates in a slot formed in the rail.

The reference-numeral 23 represents the body of the car, and 2t indicates the platform thereof, said platform having formed therein an opening 25, through which operates the foot-lever 26, carrying on its upper extremity a tread 27. A spiral spring 28 encircles the upper end of said foot-lever and is arranged between the lower face of the tread 27 and the upper face of the platform 25. Arranged on the lower end of the said foot-lever 26 and pivotally connected at 29 is a bell-crank lever 30, which is fulcrumed at 31 to the hanger 32, arranged on the under face of the platform of the car. To the end of the bellcranklever is pivotally connected at 33 a horizontal lever 34:, having its other end pivotally connected at to a bell-crank lever 36, fulcrumed at 37 to a hanger 38, which is rigidly secured to the under face of the platform, the free end of the bell-crank lever 36 being provided with a shoulder 39. The under face of the free end of the said lever 36 engages a retractile spring 40, the latter being securely fastened at ll to the under face of the body of the car.

A yoke-shaped hanger 2 is securely bolted to the truck of the car, said hanger having formed therein apertures adapted to receive the switch-turning rod 43, said rod being so arranged as to allow the same to both reciprocate and partially rotate in said hanger 42. The lower end of the said switclrturning rod carries a shoe 4:712, having arranged on the under face a pin 45. The said switch-turning rod is further provided with a pin :6, which is adapted to limit the rotation of said red. A stop or pin it? is arranged on the yokeshaped hanger it. A spiral spring 4C8 encircles the upper portion of the said switchturning red 43, the lower end of said spring being fastened, as at l9, to the upper face of the hanger 4-2. The upper end of said spring is fastened at 50 to the upper end of the switch-turning rod, said switch-turning rod carrying at its upper extremity a plate 51, the upper face of said plate carrying near its outer edge a pin 52.

The operation of our improved switch-turning mechanism is as follows: Assuming that all parts are in the proper position, foot-pressure is brought to bear upon the tread 27, operating and depressing the foot-lever 26, thereby communicating movement to the bellcrank lever 30, which in turn operates the horizontal lever 3%, to which is connected the bell-crank lever 30. The under face of the shoulder 39 engaging the top of the pin 53 thereby causes the switch-turning rod 43 to be depressed, the pin 45 being adapted to engage the guides 6 or 7 as the case may be, either opening or closing the switch, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and, in order to close the switch, would be engaged, the parts being shown in full lines corresponding to the position which they will assume in case the switch is opened. By means of the levers 11 and 15 and the bell-crank lever 14 the guides U and 7 will be permitted to operate in opposite directionsthat is, when either of the guides is operated they will move toward each other or away from one another, as the case may be. By operating the guides movement will be imparted to the horizontal lever 9, which will in turn operate the switch-tongue by means of the levers l8 and 20, the latter carrying a pin connected to the switch-tongue, operating the same to the desired position. Simultaneously with this operation a partial rotary movement will be imparted to the switch-turning rod, which will dislodge the pin 52 from its seat against the under face of the shoulder 39 and allow the upper face of the plate 51 to come in direct contact with the lower face of the shoulder 39, causing the same to trip and serving to notify the operator to release the operating mechanism, the springs 28 and 40 serving to return the foot operating mechanism to its normal position and the spring 48 serving a like purpose to the switchturning rod 43. This spring 48 serves a double purposenam ely, raising the switch-turning rod to the proper height and partially rotating the same to its proper position, thereby placing the pin 45 in position to easily engage the guides (3 and 7 when depressed.

From the above description the many advantages obtained from the use of our improved switch-turning mechanism will be readily understood, and a further description is thought unnecessary, and particular attention is directed to the fact that various changes may be made in the details of construction of our improved device without departing from the general spirit of our invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a switch-turning mechanism, the combination of a car, a foot-lever, a bell-crank lever attached thereto, a horizontal lever con- 11 ecting said bell-crank lever, a bell-crank 1ever carrying a shoulder, a retractile spring secured to the bottom of said car and operating against said bell-crank lever, a springpressed switch-turning rod suitably mounted on the truck of said car, said switch-turning rod adapted to both reciprocate and rotate, and suitable switch-turning mechanism arranged adjacent to the rail, substantially as set forth.

2. In a switch-turning mechanism, the 001m bination of a car, a spring-pressed foot-lever arranged to operate in the platform of said car, a bell-crank lever 30 pivotally suspended from the platform of the car with its one end pivotally connected to the said foot-lever, a bell-crank; lever 36 pivotally suspended from the car-platform, a horizontal lever pivotally connected to said bell-crank levers 30 and 36, a spring secured to the under side of the carbody and operating against said bell-crank 36, a hanger secured to the truck-frame, a springpressed switch-turning rod mounted to both reciprocate and rotate in said hanger, means arranged upon said rod to limit its rotary movement, a switclvtongue, and means arranged at the side of the track and connected to said switch-tongue and adapted to be engaged by the switch-turnin g rod for operating the switch-tongue, substantially as described.

3. In a switch-turning mechanism, the combination of a car, a foot-lever, a bell-crank lever attached thereto, a horizontal lever connecting said bell-crank lever, a bell-crank lever carrying a shoulder, a retractilc spring secured to the bottom of said car and operating against the said bell-crank lever, a springpressed switch-turnin g rod suitably mounted on the truck of the said car, said switch-turning rod adapted to both reciprocate and rotate, a horizontal lever, an arm attached to said lever, a bell-crank lever attached to said arm, a horizontal arm attached to said bellcrank lever, a guide attached to said arm, said guides being adapted to operate in the reverse direction, a lever-arm 18 attached to the end of said horizontal lever, a lever 20 pivotally secured to said lever-arm, a pin forming connections between said lever and the switch-tongue, all parts being arranged and operating substantially as herein shown and described.

4. A switch-operating device comprising in combination with a pivoted switch-tongue and mechanism arranged at the side of the track and pivotally connected to said tongue, a car, a spring-pressed foot-lever arranged in the platform thereof, a bell-crank 3O pivotally suspended from the car-platform with its one end pivotally connected to the foot-lever, a bell-crank 36 pivotally suspended from the car-platform, a horizontal lever pivotally connected to said bell-cranks, a hanger secured to the truck-frame, a spring-pressed switchturning rod mounted to reciprocate and rotate in said hanger, means connected to the bell-crank lever 36, to engage the said rod and depress the same when the foot-lever is depressed, and means arranged on said switcht-urning rod to limit the rotary movement thereof, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a pivoted switchtongue and mechanism arranged at the side of the track and connected to said tongue, a

car, a hanger secured to the truck-frame, a

cured to the rod within its hanger for limiting the rotary movement of the rod, and a trippin carried on the upper end of the springpressed switch-turning rod, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses;

JOHN E. BARNHART. EDWARD D. MIDDLETON.

Witnesses:

JOHN NoLAND, E. W. ARTHUR. 

